Bomb rack



o. lv.. sTocKToN BOMB RACK Filed April' 5, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 *IN'VENTOIL Oliver L. Stockton Feb. l0, 1948. o, L STOCKTON A 2,435,639

BOMB RACK Filed April 3, 1944 3 Sheets-Shea? 2 JNVENToR, Oliver L. Stgckton BY l ./x/ e, l i

Aitoljney Feb. 10, 1948. o. l.. sTocK'oN BOMB RACK Filed April 5, i944A 5 Sheets-Sheva 3,

. INVENToR.

liver L. Sioclcion BY- l Atiorzwy Patented Feb. 10, 1948 UNITE-D' STATES PATENT olf-Fics Vlsoivns RACKV Oliver L. Stockton, Manhattan Beach, Calif., as-

signor to. North American Aviation, LInc.

lAmplication April 3, 1944, Serial No.1529,298

(Cl. 89-.1.5f)

3 Claims. V.1 vThis invention ,relates to :improvements in bomb racks and Vhas as its general lobject the provision of suitablemeans for thecarrying and releasingof ;bombs as Trequired in aircraft.

`A more-specific object ofthe invention is to provide an electrically operated bomb rack `which is direct solenoid powered.

Another object -of the invention is to provide a bomb releasemechanism which is acomplete unit requiring no vexternal connections other than lan Velectric socket.

Further objects of the invention are the provision of an electric bomb release mechanism whichfis-adaptableito Veither 'a stationary installation as used Aon the-underwing surface of a pursuitor attack ship, or which may be readily employed vwith the internal type racks used in the larger bombers. :The .present-arrangement may be readily utilized .in 'either of the foregoing installations, thereby `providing improved interchangeability.

Still further objects `of the invention are the provision lof a bomb release mechanism which is compact, simple in construction, reliable and eiiicient in operation, having a minimum number of parts, and Vyet meeting al1 the requirementsjfrom the. standpointl of usage.

4:inthe drawings, like reference characters designateisimilar parts in the `several views.

Fig. A1 'is `a schematic view illustrating primarily the arrangement of the relative parts ci the `bomb-.release -mechanism embodying the inventi'on.

Fig. 2:is a side elevation oija bomb rack embodying Va slightly modified form of the same with Vaportionio'f the lcase broken away.

Fig. 43 is an fend view of the unit shown in Fig. A2. Y

Fig. 4 isa plan `Viewof astreamlined rack.

Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the same.

Fig. Gis an end `view of Fig. 5.

liig.'7 is a sideelevation of the rack with onehalf `of the case removed.

Fig. Sais a wiring diagram, illustrating the electrical circuit included inthe rack.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. lfcomprises a pair ofbomb-supporting hooks I, I',which are Kpivotally supported on the pins 2', 2'. The upper portions of the hook members are interconnected by a longitudinal link 3, being pivotally attached thereto at points 4, 4'. The link .member Vmay 4consist of a pair of parallel straps or bars in order to secure adequate strength, Vandfa lblock .5, which serves'as a catch, sfsecured between the links. 'The v'catch extends below .the link members, engaging a shoulder YI on a trip-arm 1, which `is pivotally mounted at 3, and carries a roller 9 at its opposite extremity. rhe .roller rests on a trigger member IB, which is pivotally supported at II and has attached to its upper end a short vlink I2, the latter being connected to a rotary typesolenoid I3 of the character shown, for example, in the United States Patent No. 1,283,151, issued on October 29, 1918, to Gledhill, and also .in the United States Patent No. 2,347,369, issued on April 25, 1944, to Roters, by a lost motion connection comprisinga pin I4 on the solenoidand a slot in the link in which the pin I4 is engaged. The solenoid alsocarries anarm vl5 which engages a recessedshoulder I6 on the trigger member I0.

`rIhe release of the bomb, supported on the hooks I, is effected by energizing the rotary solenoid with an electrical impulse through a suitable releasing switch within the cockpit or bombardiers compartment. The armature of the rotary solenoid, when energized, turns in a clockwise direction. The .initial movement .of the armature raises the arm I5 from its locked position in .engagement with the shoulder of the trigger member. The slotted portion of the link I2 provides for free rotation of the solenoidduring this initial period. Pin I4 on the solenoid, upon reaching Vthe limit of its travel in the slot, draws the trigger member to .the right, clearing .the roller of the trip-arm 1. This arm -is thus allowed to drop until it engages'the stop I1, at which position it clears the catch 5 carried by the parallel links interconnecting the bombsupporting hooks. Upon release of the catch, the weightof the bomb suspended on the supporting hooks will be effective'to move the link 3 to the right by virtue ofthe eccentricity Vbetween the pointsof support on the bomb hooks and the pivot points 2.', 2 of the members. This eccentricity is also eiective to overcome `the Yaction of spring I9 and urge arm 1 downwardly against stop I1 when the trigger member is drawn Vto the right to clear the roller of triparm 1.

The mechanism is automatically .recocked as follows: Upon hoisting a bomb into position, the supporting loops on the lbomb will engage the projections I8, I8 on the hook members, forcing the link 3 to the left against a spring I8a biasing the supporting hooks to bomb release position. Upon completion of this movement, and 'with the supporting loops of the bomb still forcing link 3 to the left, the trip-arm 1 is returned by the spring i9 to engagement with the catch 5,k

spring returning the trigger to proper engagement with the roller 9, the spring 2| rotating the solenoid in a counter-clockwise direction to reengage the arm |5 with the trigger member.

The foregoing mechanism is illustrated in a slightly modified form in Fig. 2 as adapted to a shackle of the type employed with the internal racks of bombers by the inclusion of appropriate supporting members 30, having short horizontal pins 3|, 3|', intended for engagement with the shackle supporting hooks affixed to the side rails of the conventional type bomb rack. Such hooks may be as shown in the application of Charles J. Ulrich, Serial No. 528,189, filed March 27, 1944. Also shown is the provision of a transfer switch 32. The switch carries a pair o f arms 33, 34, the first of which engages the stop pin 35, carried on the link 3. y are inter-connected and lightly loaded by a torque spring a for clockwise rotation. Accordingly, upon release of the bomb and consequent movement of the pin 35 to the right, the arms 33 and 34 will rotate until the latter makes contact with the stop-pin 36 carried on the solenoid, which, when energized rotates to such a position as to form a stop to limit the travel of the switch arm 34. The arms are maintained in this position until the solenoid is deenergized by the release of the firing button in the pilot or bombardiers compartment. The arms 33 and 34 then rotate further under the pull of the torque spring until the arm 33 is stopped by the pin 35. The switch 32 is actuated thereby and functions to automatically route subsequent impulses (created upon actuation of the release switch by the pilot or bombardier) to the next successive bomb release unit.

The wiring diagram shown in Fig. 8 illustrates the manner in which the transfer switch is employed in the shackle circuit. When the jacks contained in the accumulator socket 6| are properly engaged, the lead is conducted through the accumulator socket to the transfer switch 32. When the switch is in normal position as shown, the impulse from the firing button will energize the release solenoid I3, the circuit being completed through the lead 62 which forms the circuit, so that subsequent impulses will not affect the new setting of the switch 32, and such By this means each successive impulse reaches the next loaded station regardless of the loading sequence in rack,

'j are intended for attachment ,15 sleeves 50, 50', provided in the The two switch arms 5o lead 43, thus disconnecting the solenoid I3 from 4 A further modification of the subject mechanlsm is also shown in Fig. 4 as developed in a streamlined version primarily for external installations on high speed ships. Such an ar- 5 rangement would be particularly applicable to the wing-racks of pursuit or attack ships, wherein the absolute minimum of drag is permissible. The present arrangement providing as it does, an extremely compact unit having a minimum of 10 frontal area as viewed from the end, (Fig. 6) is suitable for such purposes. Suitable hangers i forming a portion of the structure of the ship, of the racks by means of bolts passing through the pairs of case 5| adjacent tothe opposite ends of the rack. The accumuf lator socket 4| Vaccommodates all of the necessary electrical, connections to provide for satisfactory operation of the racks. The unit shown, how- 20 ever, may be readily used for internal racks by providing suitable hanger members similar to those shown in the previous modification,Y which may also be attached by bolts or pins through the sleeves provided. This arrangement allows for complete interchangeabilty on various installations.

I claim: l 1. A bomb shackle comprising a support, a pair of bomb-supporting hooks pivoted thereon and adapted for movement to bomb-releasing position by the Weight of the bomb supported thereby, means inter-connecting said hooks for movement in unison, latching means cooperating with said inter-connecting means and spring biased toward a position latching said hooks in bombsupporting positions, a solenoid having an armature, means carried by said armature adapted in the de-energized position thereof to coact with said latching means to lock the latter against un- 40 latching movement, and means having a lostmotion connection with said solenoid rst permitting said locking means to release said latching means and then operating upon said latching means to release the latter for unlatching said bomb-supporting hooks. Y 2. A bomb shackle comprising a support, a pair of bomb-supporting hooks pivoted thereon and adapted for movement to bomb-releasing Ul l position bythe weightvofy the bomb thereby, means inter-connecting said hooks for with said inter-connecting means and spring biased toward a position latching said hooks in 3. A bomb shackle comprising a support, a

pair of bomb-supporting hooks pivoted thereonV and adapted to move to bomb-releasing positions under the weight of the bomb means inter-connecting said ment in unison, a triparm pivoted to said supsupported movement in unison, latching means cooperating' port and spring urged to a position wherein it is adapted to latch said hooks in bomb-supporting positions, a trigger coacting with the end of said trip-arm remote from its pivot and spring urged to a position in which it holds said trip-arm in latching position, a solenoid carrying a locking element adapted in the de-energized position of the solenoid to coact with said trigger for locking the same in its holding position, a lost-motion connection between said armature and said trigger adapted upon energization of the solenoid to rst permit said locking element to move away from its locking position and then to move said trigger away from its holding position, energizing means, a transfer switch adapted in a first position to conduct energy from said means to said solenoid and in a second position to disconnect said solenoid from said energizing means and to route the energy from said energizing means to the solenoid of a second shackle, said transfer switch having a pair of control arms, one of which cooperates with said inter-connecting means to restrain said transfer switch in said rst position when the bomb-supporting hooks are in REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,283,151 Gledhill Oct. 29, 1918 1,480,582 Weed Jan. 15, 1924 2,144,957 Bell Jan. 24, 1939 2,341,456 Markey et al Feb. 8, 1944 2,347,369 Roters 1 Apr. 25, 1944 2,374,066 York et al Apr. 17, 1945 

